Index card



Patented pr. 30, 1929.'

UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFFlcE.

CHARLES E. COBB, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 'FILING EQUIPMENT BUREAU, INCORPORATED, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Application filed June 28,

This invention relates to index cards for vertical filing systems and particularly to improvements in transparent label holders which are customarily applied to the upper margin of guide cards used as spacing elements to separate into groups the cards or folders constituting the liling system.

It is well understood that the principal purpose of providing label holders of this type is to display the visible signals or index data appearinly upon the label or index slips, whereby the tiling clerk may readily and expeditiously locate a particular card or file in the system, which may comprise numerous trays or cabinets. It is also well known that these trays or cabinets are frequently arranged in superposed tiers extending from the floor to a hei-ght of six feet or more, so

i that the searchers line of vision may be directed either perpendicularly downward upon the contents of the lowermost cabinet, or horizontally toward the files of the upper cabinets. It will therefore be observed that if the signals are to be readily visible without loss of time or unnecessary effort on the part of the clerk, the label holder must be so constructed and arranged that the index sli p may be viewed from a position above or in front of the holder,4 depending upon the location of the guide card with respect to the searchers line of sight.

It is accordingly the principal object of this invention to provide a label holder so constructed that an index slipy may be displayed therein, which may bear identifying letters or numerals readily visible from a point either in the saine horizontal plane or 1n the same vertical plane as the holder. Further objects include the provision of a transparent sheath providing a labelreceiv ing pocket, having its visible portion arcuate in cross section, and an index slip carrying two sets of signals, one of which is displayed at the front of the pocket and the other at the top of the pocket.

A recommended embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a face view of an index card equipped with the improved label holder;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are plan views of a portion of a label or index slip adapted for inying a modified form of nmnx om.

1927. Serial No. 202,215.

sertion in the label holder of Fig. 2, illustrating several optional dispositions of the index characters;

Fig. 'is a perspective view of the label holder w1th the index slip of Fig. 3 inserted therein; and

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 2, showlabel holder.

The gulde card towhich the holder is applied may be made of any suitable stiff material, such as cardboard, fibre board, or heavy paper, and comprises a body portion? and a projecting tab or tongue 8 at its up er edge. The label holder or sheath, pre erably consisting of a flexible strip of transparent material such as sheet Celluloid, is folded over the tab 8 so as to provide a rear flap 9 and a front flap 10. The flap 10 is so formed as to provide an open ended labelreceiving pocket 11, approximately semicircular in cross section as shown in Fig. 2, at the fold portion of the strip adjacent the upper edge of the tab. The curve of that portion of the pocket which is normally visible is preferably of such character that the radius ofv its top part is greater than that of its front part, as indicated in Fig. 2. The lower portion of the flap 10 and the flap 9 may be secured to the card by a suitable adhesive or other fastening means, thus reenforcing the tab 8 and strengthening the card margin against the bending stresses to which the tab and label holder are subjected by handling. f

The index slip or label 12, preferably of flexible sheet material such as paper, may be inserted at either end of the pocket 1l and when positioned in the holder preferably follows the curve of the inner surface of the pocket. The vertical width of the slip 12 is preferably such that when curved to fit within the pocket, the upper and lower edges of the slip abut the front face of the card tab 8, and the intermediate portion is sprung outwardly against the Celluloid thus frictionally holding the slip within the pocket and preventing accidental removal.

The labelrmay carry appropriate index characters 13, identifying the group of cards or files` which are preceded by the guide card.

` the bottom of the pocket may be of less degree than illustrated in Fig. 2, or the bottom may be substantially flat as shown in the optional construction of Fig. 7. In this modification the visible region of the pocket terminates in an elongate bottom groove 16 and the invisible area 17 extends horizontally to the surface of the card. In such case the bottom edge of the-index slip 18 may rest in the groove 16, while the body of the slip may .follow the curve of upper portion of the pocket. It is obvious, however, that a flat index slip maybe utilized in this form of pocket without impairing the range of clear vision provided by the arcuate pocket.

A guide card having either type of label holder above described is simple and economical to manufacture, durable in use and attractive in appearance. Either of the types of labels suggested by the forms of Figs. 3, 4 and 5, or other types, may be employed interchangeably with either form of pocket to suit the requirements of the user and particularly to permit direct vision of the signal whatever may be the elevation of the trays or cabinets in which the guide cards are located, or the angle of disposition of the guide card within the cabinet.

I claim:

1. An index card having a strip of fiexible., transparent, sheet material folded over one margin, said strip comprising a rear fiap and a front flap, the upper portion of the front flap having a portion spaced from the front face of the card to form a label-receiving pocket, the normally visible portion of said pocket being curved forwardly and downwardly with respect to said card face, the radius of the upper portion of said curve being greater than that o f the lower portion thereof.

2. An index card having a Vstrip of flexible, transparent, sheet material folded over one margin, said strip comprising a rear iiap and a front flap, the upper portion of the front flap having a forwardly curved portion spaced from the front face of the card to form a label-receiving pocket, and a removable label fitting in said pocket, the top of the label lying edgewise against the front face of the card and the front surface of the label substantially following the curved portion of the pocket.

3. An index card having a strip of flexible,

transparent, sheetmaterial folded over one margin, said strip comprising a rear flap and a front flap, and the upper portion of the front flap having a forwardly curved portion spaced from the front face of the card to form an open-ended, label-'receiving pocket, the

rear flap and the lower qportion of the front flap being secured flatwise against the respective surfaces of the card, and a removable label fitting in said pocket with its longitudinal edges abutting the front face of the card and its front surface substantially following the curved portion of said strip.

4. An index card having a strip of iiexible, transparent, sheet material folded over one margin, said strip comprising a rear flap and a front flap, and the upper portion of the front flap having a forwardly curved portion spaced from the front face of the card to form an open-ended, label-receiving pocket, the rear flap and the lower portion of the front flap being secured iiatwise against the respective surfaces of the card, and a removable label fitting in said pocket with its longitudinal edges abutting the front face of the card and its front surface substantially following the curved portion of said strip, said label having two sets of signals spaced vertically from each other, so that one set appears near the top of the pocket and the other approximately in front of the pocket. 5. An index card having a projecting tab at its upper margin and a label holder consisting of a strip of flexible, transparent sheet material folded over the margin of the tab and secured upon opposite surfaces of the card, the fold of the strip including a portion spaced outwardly from the front face of the tab, constituting a label-receiving pocket open at both ends and approximately semicircular in cross section, and a removable label fittin in said pocket with its longitudinal edges a utting the front face of the card.

6. An index card having a projecting tab at its upper margin, a label holder consisting of a strip of iexible, transparent sheet material folded over the margin of the tab and secured upon opposite surfaces of the card, the fold of the stripincluding a portion spaced outwardly from the front face of the tab, constituting a label-receiving pocket open at both ends and approximately semi-circular in cross section, and a removable label fitting in said pocket with its longitudinal edges abutting the front face of the card and its front surface bearing against the curved portion of said strip, said label having two sets of signals spaced vertically from each other, so that one set appears near the top of thepocket and the other approximately in front of the pocket.

7 An index card having an integral projecting tab on one margin, a strip of flexible, transparent, sheet material folded over said tab, said strip comprising a rear flap and a.

from Hep, the rear Hap being secured against the rear 'ace of the lab and the upper portion `el the front flap being spaed from the front :ieee of ille tab to lpermit the insertion of e. label therebetween, said upper portion being eurvecl forwardly of the plane Yof the aard and downwardly from the upper edge of the telo, and e label fitting between the front face of the leb and seid ront ap, the label substentially following the curved portion of the 10 Signed by me at Boston, B/Iasslflehusetts,v 15

this 6th day ol une, 1927. p

` CHARLES H. COBB. 

